The Town of Antigonish, and surrounding county, have many beautiful churches of various denominations. Rich in architectural design and enhanced by stained glass windows, many of the picturesque structures date back to the late 1800s.
Roman Catholic Churches are the most numerous in Antigonish (82% of the population is Catholic) and most communities have their own parish. St. Ninian's Cathedral in the Town of Antigonish is the Episcopal seat of the Catholic Diocese of Antigonish which includes Antigonish, Pictou, and Guysborough counties and the entire Cape Breton Island. Many small communities in Antigonish County have their own parishes, such as:
St. Margaret's Parish, Arisaig
St. Peter's Parish, Tracadie
St. Columba Parish, Lakevale
St. Paul's Parish, Havre Boucher
St. Patrick's Parish, Lochaber
St. Joseph's Parish, St. Joseph’s
Immaculate Conception Parish, Heatherton
St. Andrew's Parish , St. Andrew's
Ste. Croix Parish, Pomquet
The first Presbyterian Church in Anitgonish was erected in 1808 with Reverend James Munro as pastor. Reverend Munro's memory is honored to this day in the name of St. James United Church on Main Street. The present structure was built in 1861.
Strong evidence suggests that the first Anglican Bishop in Canada, Bishop Charles Inglis, visited the Antigonish Anglican community in 1811. In 1829 the first incumbent Anglican priest arrived in the area, then known as Dorchester. In 1834, The Anglican Church acquired the present-day site on Church Street in the Town of Antigonish. A burying ground was established first, followed by the church.
The Baptist Church in Antigonish was organized by Reverend David Nutter in the 1820s. Deacon John B. Whidden, a carpenter and saw mill owner, built the first church. The present-day Antigonish Baptist Church is located on Martin Street in Antigonish and the Tracadie Baptist Church is in Monastery, Antigonish County.
There are two Pentecostal Churches in Antigonish, the Full Gospel Pentecostal Assembly on Brierly Brook Rd. and the Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle in Lochaber.
Antigonish is also home to a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, located in Lower South River, Antigonish County.
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